Ampol has extended its support of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service for a further five years as part of its Ampol Foundation program.
This will see Ampol continue to provide the Jet A-1 aviation fuel that powers the Service’s fleet of AW9139 helicopters, which require 360 litres of aviation fuel every hour to fly and keep the communities across northern NSW safe.
As part of Ampol’s longest-standing partnership (spanning 30 years), the business:
- Contributes $600,000 of fuels in-kind each year
- Supports a range of fundraising events through the provision of AmpolCash and auction items
- Provides a pathway for its people to donate directly to the Service as part of its employee charitable giving program, Fuelling Change
Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service CEO Steven Underwood says the organisation is extremely grateful for Ampol’s support and is humbled to be its longest-running community partnership.
“Ensuring our aircraft are prepared to swiftly respond 24/7 is essential for saving lives in communities across northern NSW, and central to this readiness is a dependable provider of high-quality aviation fuels at our Belmont, Tamworth, and Lismore bases,” he says.
“We conduct more than 1500 missions each year across search and rescue, pre-hospital emergencies and inter-hospital transfers, and this vital service would not be possible without the ongoing support of Ampol and our other corporate partners.”
Ampol General Manager Business to Business Brad Phillips says it’s impossible to calculate any return on investment for the support provided when one considers the number of lives saved across a community of around 1.5 million people each year.
“For more than 30 years, Ampol has supported the essential 24/7 work of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, and we’re proud to be renewing our longest-standing community partnership for another five years,” he says.
“Ensuring the safety and well-being of the communities in which we operate is a fundamental principle that drives the efforts of the Ampol Foundation.
“Our partnership with the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service allows us to play a meaningful role in helping to safeguard the welfare of the communities of northern NSW, where we have deep and longstanding connections as a result of our considerable workforces and fuel supply assets in the region.”